“This is superfluous,” she transferred her amazing eyes to the Light and winked at her. - If you want, you can even pat me. Like any cat, I really love it when they stroke me and scratch me by the ear.

I grinned. So, she is trying to smooth Freya's tactlessness. Very nice of her. But, in an amicable way, Freya herself should have approached and apologized ...

Sveta, meanwhile, timidly laid her hand on her grandmother's head and held it a couple of times from her forehead to the back of her head. The lioness immediately closed her eyes and quietly grunted with pleasure. Sveta slightly grew bolder and scratched with a fingertip behind her right ear. Grandma hugged her ankles with her paws, never ceasing to rumble.

- Your Majesty, and not too relaxed? - again sounded over my ear mocking voice of his grandfather.

We shuddered together, and grandmother opened her eyes and rose to her feet.

“What are you saying, Your Majesty,” she said with a smirk, rubbing her face about his palm, “you know, the best way to recognize a person is to watch his interaction with animals.” Or with children.

“Ranita, dear, you are very selflessly playing the role of an animal,” smiled his grandfather and put his hands on Svetlana’s shoulders, which made her flinch and turn red, “but in such a situation, when the girl is squeezed and frightened, she cannot relax, even if she is allocated a separate room full of children and animals.

“You're right, dear, as always,” Grandma sighed and winked at Svetlana. - See you later, honey. See you and talk heart to heart, without these nasty men, - she gently licked Sveta's cheek and returned to her couch.

“Shane, bring the girl something to drink,” the grandfather said, watching with a blissful smile as his queen jumped gracefully onto the couch, crossed her front paws and laid her head on them.

I sighed and headed for the nearest table.

I just picked up a glass of wine when a suspicious silence reigned around. I turned to the stairs. The grandfather held Sveta by the hand, and the glare from his aura was oddly refracted in the crystal steps.

“Dear friends and relatives,” he said, “let me remind you that we gathered here for a reason and for a reason.” On the occasion of the upcoming engagement of us all, our beloved Shane and this lovely girl, - there was a timid whispering behind me. “I ask you to love and favor, Svetlana Semenova, a French teacher at school number fifteen eighty-three,” the murmuring grew louder, and my grandfather's eyes flashed with a bad fire. I frowned even harder than before.

“Tomorrow, the official part of the engagement party will be held in the Palace in the presence of ambassadors and leaders of friendly states, but since many of you will not be able to attend the celebrations in Amber, we decided to have a small dinner with the family. Please note, - suddenly the smile on his face became arrogant, the look was hard, and the metal sounded in his voice, - that Svetlana is a new person in our family. We will bring her up to date gradually, trying not to injure her fragile psyche. Therefore, I warn you immediately - Svetlana is my protege. I bear responsibility for her, - the whispering behind my back stopped, and I squeezed the glass more tightly - therefore I strongly recommend not trying to drag our dear Shane's bride into any family squabbles, at least before the wedding. Otherwise, you will have to deal with me. ”His smile became cheerful again, but I didn’t hear the sigh of relief that I expected in such a situation. - Thank you for attention. Have fun, and we need to come back with the Queen, - he removed his hands from Sveta's shoulders and bowed slightly to me.

Grandmother jumped off the couch and, in the air, assumed her usual human appearance. She was wearing a sumptuous dress with a low cut from the color of her lion's fur. She rose to her grandfather, gave a benevolent smile to Svetlana, and put a pen on his elbow. They turned around and melted into a rainbow haze, and at that moment the glass in my palm burst with a dull crack.

The rest of the evening went seemingly calm. The Dragon Chicks and the Dissecting Thought bowed out soon after the departure of the royal couple of Amber, citing urgent matters and preparation for the upcoming wedding. The royal family of Chaos also soon left us, while Freya approached us with Sveta, bowed courteously, kissed my hand and apologized for her behavior.

Soon the twins left, then Enilour with his bride, whom he, incidentally, did not bother to imagine. Then Lord Corvin left with Lady Annabel, and Edwin with Talah.

Mom did not appear, therefore, as soon as the guests left, and only Sveta and I remained in the Paths, my father retired to his office and never left.

Svetlana looked at me for a while, then took my hand and brought it to her lips.

- What happened, Shane? Why is everyone so sad after your grandfather introduced me? - she tried to look into my eyes, but I turned away from her. - I did not like your relatives?

I sighed, but did not answer.

- What then? Shane, explain to me - she put her head on my shoulder and sobbed.

- He is now your patron, he let and explains, - I grunted and stood up.

She looked at me in bewilderment.

- Do not understand? Do you really understand nothing? - I suddenly exploded. - He publicly stated that he found it and chose you! Do you understand? The fact that you and I will get married is decided not by me, not by you, but by him. And he poked us all with this nose! Like, you mongrels can't do anything, but I, the great god, will fulfill your destinies, as I please! Ways of God, his mother for the leg ...

Tears appeared in her eyes:

- This is what happens? Everything that was between us ...? - she did not finish.

- Of course! He set it all up, thought it over, provided for it, calculated it, and now we should rejoice and praise him! Hell no! I'm not going, like a stupid ram, to walk on his string! I also have the strength and pride!

- So ... you do not want ... that we were ... together? - she suddenly covered her face with her hands, and my heart sank.

But I was still too angry at him to rush to comfort her. So I said nothing and sat down again on the step.

“Take me ... home,” she said faintly.

I nodded and led her to the post.

Five minutes later, we left the abandoned house, and five minutes later, I caught a taxi for her, gave the driver money and asked him to make sure that nothing happened on the way with her, reinforcing his request with an appropriate look. The taxi driver often nodded, pressed the gas pedal to the floor, and after a moment the car disappeared around the bend.

I put a face to the snow falling from the sky and took a deep breath.

Now she hates me. Now she would never want to talk to me, to see me, even to hear about me. It's good. She will be able to more soberly assess what happened, and I ...

I suddenly wanted to cry. I myself, with my own hands, destroyed such a small fragile miracle that was just beginning to appear! I squatted down, covered my head with my hands and howled. At that moment I hated myself even more than him. I wanted to lay hands on myself, and if I knew how to do this, I would probably kill myself.

A couple of late passersby looked at me cautiously when I got up and gloomily slouched back to an abandoned house ...

I woke to the fact that the sun was shining right in my face. I closed my eyes and tried to pull the blanket over myself, but it was not there. I did not open my eyes right away. I remembered with what thoughts I returned home yesterday, and regretted that I woke up at all. Somewhere near there was a splash of water and muffled singing.

Strangely, there are no windows in the father's bedroom, at least, while we were changing there yesterday for dinner, I did not notice them.But I was ready to swear that the light that was falling on my face now was sunny, and did not pour out from any light ball or chandelier .... Read more →